Joseph Hernandez and Saritha Komatireddy get GOP's nod for statewide seats

New York Republicans on Tuesday in Garden City chose two Manhattan residents as their party's candidates for state comptroller and state attorney general to challenge Democrats in races this November.

Committee representatives from 62 counties across the state backed Joseph Hernandez, a biotech entrepreneur, to run for comptroller and Saritha Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor, in the state attorney general's race. 

On the second day of the party's three-day nominating convention held at The Garden City Hotel, officials solidified a ballot expected to feature Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman at the top. Blakeman, 70, is set to accept the party's nomination Wednesday in the governor's race, along with his lieutenant governor running mate Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood.

Hernandez, 53, of Manhattan, who ran for New York City mayor in the fall, highlighted his immigrant roots, academic opportunities and business success as he accepted the nomination. He said if elected he would better manage the state's pension fund and vowed to aggressively audit the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Medicaid, the public health system for the poor and disabled.

Hernandez told the crowd he came to the United States as a Cuban refugee when he was 7 years old. His family settled in South Florida where his father, a former political prisoner, found work as a dishwasher and his mother as a housekeeper. 

He got a rise from the crowd when he said his parents taught him to "work hard because in America nothing is free — although some Democrats will tell you otherwise." He decried the policies of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and former assemblyman.

 He continued: "I didn't read about socialism in the books. I lived it. I know what it looks like. I know what it smells like." 

According to his bio, Hernandez graduated from the University of Florida in 1996 with a bachelor of science degree in neuroscience. He also holds a master's degree in molecular genetics and microbiology and an MBA with a focus in finance and entrepreneurship. In 2023, Hernandez received a master of science in chronic disease epidemiology and biostatics from Yale University. 

Komatireddy, 41, was born and raised in Brooklyn. For more than 12 years, she  was a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. She also holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard College, according to her online résumé.

She touted her work on cases that convicted al-Qaida terrorists and lamented the "deterioration" of safety in New York. 

"Everyday New Yorkers are being stabbed at random. People are burned alive in the subways. Homeless Americans are freezing to death in the streets and repeat offenders are being released over and over again in every county in the state," Komatireddy said.

 Party officials overwhelmingly chose Komatireddy over another candidate for attorney general, Khurram Dara, a crypto lawyer who grew up in western New York. Dara bowed out and congratulated Komatireddy, who got 84% of the vote.   

Both Hernandez and Komatireddy are seeking offices held by Democrats who have served for several terms and gained their party's support last week, sharing the ballot with Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Hernandez is seeking the office currently held by one of the longest serving statewide officials. 

Thomas DiNapoli, 72, of Great Neck Plaza, got the backing to run for a fifth term from New York Democrats at their convention in Syracuse last week. Three Democrats are challenging DiNapoli: former congressional candidate Adem T. Bunkeddeko, former Kansas state lawmaker Raj Goyle and Drew Warshaw, a former executive of an affordable housing nonprofit.

DiNapoli, who grew up in Nassau and represented the northwest section of the county in the state Assembly, was appointed comptroller in 2007 and then elected by voters to four consecutive four-year terms.

Letitia James, 67, of Brooklyn, is running for her third term as state attorney general. She was the first woman of color to hold the position and has been among the most public foes of President Donald Trump. Before that, she served as public advocate for New York City.

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.comcandiceferrette

Candice Ferrette covers Nassau County government and politics on Long Island. She has been a reporter at Newsday since 2011.